FOURTEEN people are known to have died, and 200 more were
injured, in an explosion at a fertiliser plant in
Texas.
Prayer vigils were held in the small town of West, near the
fertiliser plant. The cause of the explosion, on Wednesday of last
week, is thought to be accidental.
The fireball that resulted from the blast flattened many homes,
and damaged several schools and a nursing home, producing a tremor
similar to a small earthquake.
The Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, declared the region a
dis-aster area, and President Obama pledged federal aid to the town
to help with the clear-up and rebuilding.
The Pastor of St Mary of the Assumption RC Church, in West, Fr
Ed Karasek, said that the town was a tight-knit community with a
strong faith, and this would pull people through.
Pope Francis tweeted prayers for victims and their families. He
urged: "Please join me in praying for the victims of the explosion
in Texas and their families."